Why Genshin's Characters Are So Popular [Genshin Impact Discussion]

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[@ChillwithAster]

Let's not forget the NSFW art ; appreciate

[@dominicjannazo7144]

It's amazing how much art there is of characters standing on office chairs or not wearing safety glasses when using a table saw. The NSFW community is insane.

[@luckymstr5614]

ON GOD

[@heromobslp1096]

thats the 6th. reason

[@arnowisp6244]

Bruh, Yelan got a Few hundred pics since her leak. Thanks to the delay she literally had hundreds of pics.

[@phootaphan9166]

@@dominicjannazo7144 For real, Raiden Shogun should be wearing an FR suit and face shield before handling that kind of voltage. She'a a walking OSHA violation.

[@cernunnos8344]

I think the community underestimate how insane the character designs in genshin are. Like seriously, compared to any other game (in the f2p gacha kind of game, look at Tower of Impact for example), the chara design in genshin is immaculate, every single character feels vibrant, unique, colorful and different, without being derivative, despite being heavily influenced by games and anime in general. Even if i don't like certain characters, I think they all look incredible

[@disjunction66]

This ^ the quality of the art, the attention to detail and the design motifs of each character are steps above most anime-style game character designs. It's easy to underestimate the effort and thought that goes into character design if you've never tried it yourself, but hopefully anyone can see the ton of work that the Genshin art team put in.

[@yqisq6966]

I know hey! Somehow hoyoverse manage to add so much depths to their characters. Take Fischl as an example - despite for being a chunibyou which has become a cliche in the anime world, her story from 2.8 completely blows me away.

[@mangshu21]

The only other game that can compete when it comes to character designs is overwatch. Too bad community complaints about balance ruined overwatch.

[@nhaan4178]

Also some of them have really good personality. Itto's art caught my eyes but it's his personality that made me pull for him (also Max Mittleman you genius)

[@cernunnos8344]

@@mangshu21 well I talking specifically about f2p/ gacha games, overwatch is a triple A made by possibly the richest video game company so yeah the design is insane but it's not fair to compare it to genshin

[@obbobo2317]

When it comes to gacha games specifically, genshin is one of the only games i have seen to place so much importance on its characters. Instead of just telling a summary of the character, it tells their story, what food they like/dislike, how they feel about other characters. Hoyo really got the characters to feel more human than a great majority of other gacha games.

[@darekpower]

Yeah they all feel like Very fleshed out characters, like legit, I know more about half the cast in genshin then some main characters in 60+ hour RPG's, Its crazy.

[@dks9151]

Also the physics of each characters match the way they portrayed like klee feels so more heavy than idk barbara and is bc klee always carry that heavy bag full of bombs and how like when characters idk fall or run each element on it's design is affected by the movement, that for me is what helps to making those characters like they are real in they universe and not so Ridgid or prosthetic

[@ElliFong]

As ex-Granblue Fantasy play, this. Granblue pumping out new characters while they do have fate episode to tell their stories, but it still feel very shallow and doesn't let you know the characters more unless they are involved in the event or main story. And Granblue HAS TOO MANY CHARACTERS

[@yqisq6966]

Yeah but even if you compare to non-gacha games, not many can really compete with Genshin's characters. There is simply no better alternatives on the market.

[@MorbidEel]

I would say Honkai goes farther. Even more so if that character is named Elysia.

[@kostiantynkhomenko6409]

It's easy, because each character feels not just a skin, but character with own personalities, abilities and own story that has connections to main story etc. This is why it is fun to win Gacha in Genshin and it feels different then in TOF where you just able to mimic characters. Also Genshin make you feel part of story, unlike other games, including MMO, so you feel involved and this why characters could feel so good for ya.

[@haruyanto8085]

Yeah but Raiden from MGRR

[@backpackpepelon3867]

Lore based game are just superior compared to meta based one. The depth of the characters that are not just big numbers go boom and new updates that more than just new power creep coming make genshin better than almost 99% gatcha game out there. The community are shit, but the game itself are solid.

[@transience4635]

@@backpackpepelon3867 My thoughts exactly.

[@alwinchai9394]

Well said

[@michapiasta3072]

And sumeru story telling is supreme. Aranara fsetival make me feel genuine joy, the end of adventures with arana aranara was bittersweet, archon quest made me anxsious over drunzduard and tighnaris story quest made me cry.

[@jasmineyu493]

As someone who is picky when it comes to fiction, I’d say that a lot of love and care (most of them) was put into writing these characters. In a way, they feel like real people with their own lives and struggles instead of having their entire personality revolve around the MC.

[@Itsuki08]

certain artists: "i can explain..."

[@neros398]

"I dont think you can"

[@Yummerrrrssssssssss2]

Ok

[@Balbaneth]

Artists and the creative side of the fanbase really really love this game

[@Not_obligated2care]

At least you said “certain artist” instead of using that same overused annoying lame degenerate joke 💀

[@kbucket]

I had zero interest in Zhongli (even knowing he was an archon already) until we met him in Liyue. His personality, lore, and relationships with other characters and the traveler made him one of my absolute favourite characters.

[@juanjuantoday]

Same. Never pick up a male character in gacha game until zhongli.

[@TrinityBlackRoseV]

I was just a tad interested in Zhongli when I first saw him from a random YT video... became obsessed with him after meeting him in Liyue.

[@Reydriel]

The very first time he spoke (in the EN voice), hot dayum

[@yYSilverFoxYy]

That’s weird, I just saw his statue and was like Daddy...🥵🔥

[@brezze0650]

Not only the playable characters are popular, even the Genshin NPC are lovable and memorable like Katheryne, Teppei, Zhiqiong, Rana etc

[@azurewaves35]

Don't forget about Dunyazad she became one of favourites during the archon quest and also Ruu too!

[@vincey6158]

Kazari 😭

[@lizzieheartswifeandgf]

Ruu :(

[@asuramaru815]

Ask-Me-For-Directions Arnold

[@astra8372]

Except maybe Teppei, I guess it differs from person to person but he became a meme about a "dead npc that nobody cares about".

[@manoelafvb]

I think something that also works is the fact that you overcome obstacles in the game with characters that you build. You have to put effort and spend time with them, so you kinda care about them because you've invested in them. You can hate a character because they are frustrating to play, too. But the feeling that you get when you pass through content with a specific character or team creates that bond as well. I think about it a lot with pokemon too, for example. You end up linking some underrated pokemons if you put them in your teams and discover their potential. I got really attached to Amber because she was the only character I knew how to play and master until AR 45, so I played most content with her and she feels dear to my heart. However, I'm a big fandango gremlin fan because of his lore and personality and every crumb of Scara lore that appears in the game makes me excited. I have two completely different experiences in a single game and I guess this also helps with the popularity of characters in the game c:

[@haruyanto8085]

Maybe, but also waifu

[@siddhantparshurami6370]

You r right,I have special bond with chars that helped me in difficult content, exploring,in certain specific situation

[@alwinchai9394]

Yes, it’s like collecting Pokémon lol

[@yqisq6966]

Yep. That's the magic of open world. We it's getting better and better with every new update.

[@RSatoshi]

Like people said, it just that the characters have their own personalities instead of just a "skin". And when we use the characters it feel like we are them, and we also follow their own story in a way. This is why i like PGR as well, they also feel "alive" as a character.

[@Jesses001]

There are many aspects that make a character, and they really nail all of them in Genshin Impact. I think one of the biggest ones, at least biggest that I noticed, is actually their relatable flaws. For example, and spoiler alerts, Collei. She has an auto-immune disease that makes every day life difficult sometimes. She also has some SERIOUS trauma that makes it difficult for her to be physically intimate with anyone. Despite this, she is rather upbeat and tries to keep a good spirit. Ei, despite being a stoic hard boiled leader, she is emotionally rather fragile, mostly due to her not dealing with her loss well. She has arrested emotional development making her seem rather immature despite being over 500 years old. She also can not take responsibly for her actions in many cases, and her constant desire to eat sweets rather than real meals seems to indicate an almost childish personality hidden under her rough exterior. And then there is Fischl. I am not a professional therapist, so I do not think I am qualified to go into any detail about her flaws. All these aspects make them feel like real characters. No cardboard cut-out here.

[@vanshakes2369]

i would say, hyv treats their characters seriously, not just a gameplay icon. hyv produces contents in a way that more like writing a book or drawing manga or producing a film. the gameplay part is just a plus gift in your experience, the true gold is lore and complex-hand-made world experience.

[@supachaitengtakul5183]

Gacha games have always been good at character design. And then Mihiyo came along and asked... What if they're 3d instead of PNG? What if they are well voice acted and animated? What if they are well characterized? And what if the world is not apocalyptic depressing future? That moment was when Mihoyo found gold.

[@arnowisp6244]

Ark Knights fan?

[@haruyanto8085]

Sorry but Hoyo didn't invent waifus

[@hayond656]

I'm gonna say this, Genshin isn't the first Gacha game that turned them 3D, and it's also not the first Gacha game that Animates their Characters and also have Voice acting, it's also not the first one to have well Characterized Characters

[@RSatoshi]

@@hayond656 isnt it Final fantasy that make the anime game in 3d? Or is it something like street fighter and Tekken?

[@vanshakes2369]

@@hayond656 but it's the first to polish every aspect up and constant update AAA contents like crazy. just compare FGO and Genshin, FGO has everything genshin has, except AAA production level contents

[@serenediipity]

i learned in one of my screenwriting classes that there are four main factors in making a likable character: their defining characteristics, a paradox (unexpected trait they have), a flaw, and something that gives them humanity. i think hoyoverse does an amazing job at incorporating these aspects into all of their characters, particularly the paradoxes that lead to quirks such as kazuha's heightened senses or albedo's taste for spiders. on top of that, the game makes you spend time to peel back the layers of each character whether that be through raising their friendship level to unlock dialogue or waiting to learn something new about someone the next time they appear in a quest/event.

[@justdoingdalies4383]

Well I recall that it is Mihoyo's design plan was to sell their characters as Idols where people would love and be invested to them.

[@arnowisp6244]

So we Tyrant Mommy. Broke Grandpa and Drunk Bard and Smart little Girl as the Archon Idols right.

[@silverjuly9339]

@@arnowisp6244 🤣

[@-Nihilus-]

@@arnowisp6244 that description is spot on 😂

[@duderine1996]

How much I like a character never depends on their in-game strength or usefulness. The only thing that matters to me is the design and personality/story.

[@2triedforthis830]

For me I kinda like a character less if there not great in game, for example I love love Xinyan and her design and her rock puck aesthetic but I can’t seem to like her more because of her in game issue same with thoma I absolutely loved his character when he first was teased but then it came crashing down cuz he was just horrible and I couldn’t play him. I also feel like it can apply to very strong meta characters but then I just hate there personally and stuff

[@peytonsharp6159]

@@2triedforthis830 Thom is great in burgeo or as a Hutao teammate.

[@realhehe]

I think it's because they are unique! Every Character has a unique story and character design ❤️

[@kimarimoi]

Even though they promote the heck out of every character (for obvious reasons), I think part of why they're so popular is because they're *not* universally lovable. They each have flaws and hard-to-ignore traits that some people will like, and others will dislike; but they cover a broad spectrum so that all players will have some favorites. Arguments over which characters are best only make people more attached to their own "mains," so it works in their favor even if it causes some conflict. Some even appear intentionally designed as a counter-choice to a very popular one (Yoimiya to Ayaka; or if by elements, Yoimiya to Hu Tao, and Eula to Ayaka) for people who don't want to follow the crowd. Most gacha games try to make every character a mostly-inoffensive waifu/husbando to get players to roll for all of them. Genshin instead tries to make people roll like crazy for just a few characters, to get constellations and their weapon (and two useless extra weapons). Given how much money it's making, seems like this strategy works pretty well...

[@anyaaa2801]

For me, I think character designs is the #1 factor. I remember being interested in Zhongli after seeing him everywhere. I didn't know anything about his personality nor his kit nor even what genshin impact was about but his design was so eye catching that I wanted to play the game

[@christiannugraha1011]

My main games for the past two years is Genshin Impact and Team Fortress 2. The mercenaries in Team Fortress 2 is also extremely popular. Now that I think about it, they both have the same thing about them, which is both has spawned bunch of memes about their characters. The characters in both games have unique quirks and iconic voice lines that you can use on certain situations to kinda joke around, even when the topic of conversation isn't exactly about both games. Like Sniper with "Professionals have standards" when joking about works or jobs and Zhongli with "Osmanthus wine" when talking about nostalgia.

[@tsunekune5753]

That's the pro AND con about Genshin's events: it gives characters more character expansion and dynamics towards other characters but newcomers may never experience once it shifts onto the next version unless MHY/HYV have some way to make them permanent story quests like 2.7

[@mowossh]

Genshin's character designs are a very interesting phenomenon. If you show these designs to an industry professional they would scoff or even say the design is outright horrible in some cases. I constantly sway between agreeing and disagreeing myself - the character designs are incohesive, clashes with other characters from the same region, takes inconsistent design inspirations from different cultures that just doesn't make sense from a design perspective, and a lot of the designs are very sexualized and panders to an obvious group of anime fans that are into this kind of thing. It's very hard to wrap your head around some of these designs, and the divide between fans and haters of the designs proves how controversial they are. But on the other hand, Genshin's popularity proves that even if the designs are """"bad"""" in theory, it still works. I think the art team for this game is incredible and they've came up with something really special. The blend of very modern fashion and their idea of a 'generic fantasy archetype' fashion (for example Monstadt characters' blend of modern military and medieval fantasy costumes, Liyue's modern business attires and chinese Hanfu etc) was, as you mentioned in the video, blurring the lines between boundaries of real life and the game, and also the boundaries of what makes a 'good character design' on paper. The art team coming up with superior designs even after having to censor some of their characters (Mona, Jean, Rosaria) just proves how much thought and love the art team put into their work! Personally even if some characters are still a hit-or-miss for me, I have to admit that the character designs is what caught my eye in the first place to pick up this game. I also agree that this game should really have more diversity if not for representation, but a chance for the art team to come up with even more unique designs that are held back by the character's, um, skin color. And I've yet to even comment on the writing for the characters (which i will not, i am not a writer)!

[@transient_moonlight]

Why are the designs generally considered bad? I genuinely want to understand (for example, I don't understand what you mean with "incohesive"), because my concept artist friend finds lots of good points in them (though she does find a few to be puzzling--for example... well, mostly Mona's alt outfit, in her abdomen-waist-leg area). As for the sexualization, it definitely exists, but the big difference is that the characters own it. That means, they don't get embarrassed because of it, they aren't shamed because of it, it's part of their expression. It's also often associated with elegance. Sometimes it still feels a bit gratuitous, but at least it's a good way to have sexy characters.

[@mowossh]

@@transient_moonlight Ah, when I state that it is 'incohesive' I was suggesting that the characters don't really match up well with each other when putting some of them side by side? Like if I showed you a picture of Yelan you wouldn't think that she's from a chinese region, compared to let's say Ningguang or Beidou. I'm not saying that it's wrong for characters to have unique designs so that they'd stand out from their peers, it's just jarring to learn that they're from the same region (or in some cases, the same game). If you follow the common theory on what makes a design "work", Genshin's characters breaks a lot of those rules, and it turned out great, if we go by the reception to the designs. (refer back to original comment's second paragraph that i am neutral on whether it's good or bad) also for the last part? sex sells. booba good

[@25ngoquocthai13]

@@transient_moonlight Personally, I interpret "incohesive" as this: the first time you take a look at most Genshin designs, your eyes tend to freak out a little because of all the colors and intricacies, unlike a lot of outfits in real life, even fancy ones that were made to wow you. Genshin also has a strange love for asymmetry and large amounts of detail that ultimately hinders how a character would actually function in their lives: most of the characters who fights shouldn't expose their stomach or wear high heels, Xiao doesn't benefit at all from having a piece of fabric tied around his right arm, Shenhe, Yelan and Eula's fits look really uncomfortable if you are in them for too long, ect. From an objective standpoint, Genshin characters design are terrible. But when the characters move or fight, suddenly the design mesh together like a coherent mess, something I just haven't seen before. The design was made around the character, and no matter how strange it is, you can pinpoint a character's traits just by looking at them living. The shining example had to be Tighnari. Again, objectively, his design is atrocious. Makes no logical sense for a forest ranger, a blended mess of fabric and color, unnecessary asymmetricity, I could go on about all of the weirdness in his fit. Yet, when I watch him in action, or learning more about him through voicelines, his design simultaneously makes more and less sense at the same time, and I can't but feel charmed by it, despite recognizing its flaws. tl;dr: Genshin designs a character's fit not based on functionality or convenience, but on characterization. Everyone's clothing, including Aether and Lumine's, are designed not just basing off of their jobs or hobbies, but the characters themselves, and it's effectively another way Genshin portray their characters.

[@decahedronical]

I disagree, there's a series of videos made by renowned artist Saito Naoki where he drew the Genshin characters off of a couple statements or voice lines without having played the game and the conclusions he comes to are surprisingly similar. Also just a nitpick but there isn't a single hanfu in the game, the clothing is styled after Manchu clothing. For an example of how they would have done character designs in hanfu, check Honkai.

[@devolays]

There is no "bad" or "good" design. If everyone did everything according to the established rules, we'd never get new types of art. Step 1: learn the rules. Step 2: break them.

[@simplewatcher9366]

The developers give the characters thought and detail they give them personality, lore, and a great design and they did it without them being oversexualized because of Chinese laws and they have diverse playstyles no characters is a carbon copy of another and the collection aspect of the game

[@Hanahaki_Lily]

For me to like a character depends mostly on lore or how much i get attached to them, and honestly genshin has just amazing character lore so its not hard to love a lot of characters

[@khakikohii]

Fanarts!! Genshin artists are out of this world.

[@zackang4731]

Not just in the drawing kind of art. There's also fan-made comics, videos/animations, and fan-made music.

[@Cheezeeeee]

another reason for me is that tangible effect of being able to actually play the character you pulled for. most of the gacha games i saw, especially older ones were mostly just moving pngs with skill and stats, story (good or bad) and that's it. this was one of the games i played where i was able to make my character sprint, throw his/her skill etc because i want to, not because there are monsters on that dungeon or instance while being a well designed character at the same time (waifu/husbando). but i think this bias also comes from me used to being addicted to Grandchase, Elsword and Dragon Nest a long time ago, so manual combo and stuff.

[@mariemarilynbp9865]

It's really hard to explain but they have a really Unique and even if it may sound overdramatic , the once in a lifetime feel in their designs . Idk if it makes sence but All of them have a main character vibe . They have what is called an "Aura " wich is something extremely hard to obtain

[@themarky2714]

"I literally installed this game after downloading 60 images of Ganyu" - Max0r.

[@phootaphan9166]

I'm sure he was pleased to find that Genshin has even more Vergil than the game about Vergil hiring Vergil's brother and Vergil's son to defeat Vergil so he can become Vergil featuring Vergil.

[@IndigoEyePhotography]

It's worth noting that Mihoyo also gives NPCs (Ruu, Zhiqiong, Teppei, the fallen Yaksha, the Fatui of the Chasm, etc.) plenty of attention even though our attachment to them wouldn't necessarily lead to more pulls or higher sales. They're not just individual characters. They're part of the world-building, components of the lore. Some such as Zhiqiong even offer interesting worldviews that I think are quite relevant IRL.

[@Vizible21]

Plenty of attention? You mean copy paste model?

[@ezurachan]

@@Vizible21 Plenty of attention characterization wise. They are NPC so we can let the copy-pasting slide. In the grand scheme of things they are ordinary, "forgettable" (not really) people.

[@sshk1653]

@@Vizible21 I bet they can make seperate model but then your phone will explode because mihoyo loves genshin... Amd it shows with their every update It's not just for money... It's the passion they have for genshin impact which rewards them

[@gatex33d74]

Genshin is the only gacha game I play because it's the only i could ever find that when you get a new character it isn't just a PNG change, you actually change the way you play, the abilities, the way you interact with the world

[@Koscacio]

Genshin feel like hang out with a bunch of friend, that is alway the formula for success

[@iandakariann]

Part of what makes these characters work so well is how fleshed out they are. Hu Tao for example, is on the surface, a high energy prankish lover of the morbid. That alone would be enough for a character to be interesting and many who just rolled her and listened to her voice lines would see just that. But then as you dig in to her story and you find that she is someone who takes the afterlife and her job running the mortuary VERY seriously and treats her actual job with respect. Her humor is not just her natural self but also is used to counter people's fears of the supernatural. Not because there is nothing to fear but because 1. People tend to fear the wrong things and get worked up over nothing and 2. Taking the supernatural as nothing to be concerned about is a good way to keep people from prying into it and finding the REAL things to be afraid of. Thus her morbid humor and pranks not only calm the populous but also protect them. Nevermind the insinuation that her company actually l actively fights against those very real threats without letting anyone else know about them. And that's just from her story. Dip into her character profile and you'll also find that she has other aspects to herself. For example, her little poems and songs which seem just silly are actually a part of a deep love for poetry and rhyme. She regularly meets with several other characters to talk about it. All this for a character that isn't that involved with the main plot. Genshin characters have an outward persona that's cute and interesting enough to catch someone instantly. Many people have no clue who Ganyu is personality wise but they love her already. They have s fleshed out personality to make those invested in the game appreciate. Then they have deeper parts of their person that only superfans will find out which fills in the gaps. To put it this way, how many people just liked Mona as 'the other hot witch' when they saw her, only to find her interesting when traveling Monstadt with her, only to then REALLY get wowed after her mirage in 2.8? That's the kind of layered design that makes characters popular whether it's in the tierlists the memes, the fanreddits, or the.... Special interest section.

[@wanderingice8130]

Imagine watching an anime with different cool characters in the story, then you get to control them in a game. That's how I see genshin characters.

[@themrnobody100]

Exactly. Playing through Sumeru makes me want to pull for all the characters haha. I can’t believe that there are people who call these designs lifeless.

[@MarkYu23]

These characters have lots of situational behaviors despite being fictional we can all relate to their experiences and beliefs. Each character has this type of connection to genshin players that they are treated as comfort, inspirational characters. I've tried playing lots of games but only this game has made me stay and attached emotionally. I don't know how many times I cried to quests since its released

[@mirror452]

Playing Tower of Fantasy for a couple days made me appreciate SO. MUCH. MORE how much care Hoyo puts into bringing their character to life. The difference is insane, and honestly... Hoyo is just really really good at what they do.

[@cosmictrainer2919]

I agree so much

[@alwinchai9394]

Exactly

[@Sakuzygy]

I think another big reason why Genshin's characters are so popular is that Genshin is pretty much a regular RPG game with one extra (painful) element: the gacha system. It's so easy to get attached to RPG game characters because you're exposed to so much of them throughout the stories they're in, Persona or Fire Emblem being prime examples. You may not be able to wrap your head around the world, but you care about these characters and you want to see where they end up and if you can do anything to ensure they end up happy. Being 3D is also a bit of a bonus as it's generally more visually immersive and dynamic with the range of animations and effects, as well as increasing the range of interactivity between characters. Compare that to most other gacha games (not every gacha game, there are plenty of great ones) littering app stores: a lot of them have strikingly beautiful or cute art, maybe a fun gameplay loop, a strong theme to tie everything together, and a well-written story. But it's also unfortunately common for these same gacha games to be entirely carried by just one of these traits, usually the art or the story, and for its playerbase to die out quickly and become niche. Their characters are often stereotypical PNGs that exist only within their roles for gameplay or only expanded upon as much as they need to be fanservicey. Their main narrative could fall on the sidelines as the developers/producers focus on capitalizing on their consumers with special events and skins. The gameplay loop could become too repetitive and no amount of other game modes or amazing writing could justify picking it up again. Maybe the gacha system serves as nothing else but a limit to how much you can enjoy the game. Man, I knew gacha games were predatory, but saying all this has really beat it into my head just how much they really are. Genshin has its issues, but it's managed to maintain a good balance and not drop into any deep ends, while also imo being a genuinely good game.

[@yqisq6966]

On a second thought I think being live service play a huge role. For example, for a character from a single player game, say Lightning from FF13 or 2B from Nier Automata, they may become iconic characters loved by many, but online discussion about them would only last for so long. But in Genshin the player can adventure with their favourite characters in a virtual world that constantly gets updated, so there'll always be active discussions about these characters. Also thanks to Hoyoverse's effort in balancing the game, every character is viable and no one becomes obsolete overtime, which means players can feel comfortable investing emotionally into a character.

[@amorimjt]

My archons… your writing is just so beyond amazing!!! Jaw dropping every time

[@Sanguiris]

I didn't really like Xiao until the Chasm quest, but after that, I actually kind of like him

[@transient_moonlight]

5 is probably the most important reason from a narrative viewpoint. Why do people care about characters in stories? There are many principles to build empathy, but a reader/viewer/player only starts to get really involved in a story when the character has a need that is endangered by an inner problem. A "survival system" that is no longer working, and that must be changed (aka growth) in order to preserve something important. All barely decently written stories are about the fight to change ourselves or die (metaphorically or literally). It's important to have this fatal flaw in a character, because the experience of investing in a surviva system, in a set of beliefs/behavior, and experiencing the pain of needing to change it, is an experience that all humans know since birth. We immediately identify in it, we immediately want to know how the circumstances of the story will affect the character, how they will change, and how they will in turn shape the story. That's because "if there's hope for the character, there's hope for us". What's more peculiar, is that the fatal flaw often leads us to lie to ourselves about what's actually important to us, about our nature. It prevents us from accessing our strengths. Suffering can be seen as a disorientation and powerlessness that comes from having a disconnect with ourselves (and thus not really knowing what to do with our lives, even when we think we have figured it out), from trusting lies so that we don't have to face painful stuff. Fromr this perspective, a heroic story is about people who manage to go beyond their lies, endure the pain, listen to what it's trying to tell them, and reconnect with their true nature in order to live a fulfilling life. This kind of change tells us some deeply rooted ideas about the human condition, it becomes personal to us too, and so really relatable, because it also IS abouyt us. HOWEVER, for that to happen, for a change to be compelling, the character needs to suffer the consequences of their flaw. The involvement only happens when "death" and "survival" (literal or metaphorical) hang on the character deciding to face the exhaustion of their survival system, face the truth about themselves, and change--aka when the system can no longer protect them, and an important aspect of their life is on a downward spiral because of that. A good characterization delivers the necessity/urgency of the change--it's either that, or "death". This is at the heart of storytelling, and it's the part that Genshin too often fails, unfortunately. Genshin's characters often don't manage to tell us really impactful stuff about the human condition, because far too often Hoyo lets them off the hook FAR too easily; they don't face consequences that put them in the situation where change and confronting their inner self becomes an urgency. That said, the lighthearted approach might be another reason why the characters themselves are popular. Or maybe the characters would be even more popular with a different approach. Regardless, I hope it will be different for Kusanali, because she seems to be already suffering the consequences of her mistakes (whatever her fatal flaw is--seems to be about living in the shadow of her predecessor, and fear of being inadequate--is already causing damage to her personal life and her relationships, like a flaw should).

[@zackang4731]

I feel the Genshin writing/story team may have a particular.. obsession with story consistency -> Means that each character lines in story and events, animations, skill flavor text, interactions with other characters, etc.. all of them must be consistent. This means that they want to try to minimize obvious, permanent changes to character, which would make some parts inconsistent with each other. This might be what caused the feeling like each story ends far too easily - Because they want to wrap everything up within that chapter/event for easier adding of new events and characters in the future. It's sadly a limitation, because it's not like they are incapable of writing stories without deeper consequences and impact. On another note, I strongly suspect, and fear that, mysterious girl Nahida will not become playable. Because I feel we're going to receive a HI3-styled Final Lesson soon.

[@transient_moonlight]

@@zackang4731 That's not consistency, that's just stagnation, and it's the definition of anti-narrative. But I don't think that they want to make characters stay the same, because we've seen some changes: Raiden is the prime example. Fischl has come to accept all parts of herself. Mona has started rejecting that Astrology is the truth that supersedes everything else, and has chosen to forge her own path--even if fate is supposedly set in stone, she wants to act and try to make a difference in spite of the perceived pointlessness of it all. The problem is that those changes don't have the exhaustion phase needed for them to really hit. They have tons of potential, but without the struggling of letting go of old beliefs and survival systems, without the exhaustion phase, the poitential is sort of mutilated. Raiden is the prime example of being let off the hook far too easily--0 consequences for her gargantuan mistakes, and that just makes her change feel artificial. Why? Because there was no urgency for her to face her true nature and change. After ending the vision hunt, she could have just remained the same, and would have suffered no consequence. She didn't have an emergency that she would have only been able to handle by changing, and people don't change if they aren't pressed to. You could say that there was an internal fracture at play (as explained in the motivational interviewing technique), but even internal fractures require exhaustion and exploration to work. Anyway, I think that this phenomenon is kinda inevitable because of the sheer amount of characters. You obviously can't have a full fledged 3/5 acts structure for each of them, though I would at least like to see it for the characters who are going to play a bigger role in the story (like the Archons). -------------------------- As for Nahida, I really doubt we're going to have playable characters' deaths soon, if ever. That's because of 2 reasons. 1-What kind of impact the death of a character would have on the protag (aka, the traveler)? They're going to be sad, or angry, but that's it. It's not like the death of a playable character can lead the traveler towards growth, because the characters in Genshin are more like friends or even just acquaintances. We don't have a figure that shaped the traveler's life, and whose death can push the traveler to face their flaws/mistakes, to understand what's actually important to them, and take the reins of the situation. We just don't have the context for a "Final Lesson". 2-The mood in Genshin's story is the heoric kind of hopeful--no matter how bad things are, we are alwasy empowered to do something about it, and often get away with little to no sacrifices. Also, let's be real: Hoyo isn't going to miss out on massive sales, especially not for the sake of narrative. The sales for a dead character banner would 100% suffer, considering what drives genshin players to pull for characters.

[@zackang4731]

​@@transient_moonlight I'm looking more at the technical difficulty in writing narrative for a world that continuously added on, and the player is more or less allowed to read the chapters in different sequence. To ensure the consistency of each character in this world and world-building, it would be easier to write each character/event quest to start with little reliance on other story points, and end with minimum lasting impact to future quest. So in the example, Fischl, Mona, Kazuha recently all have some additional character growth in GAA (well Venti and the Mysterious Voice as well, but those were very minor). However, these internal character growth and conflict resolution do not need to change how these characters are like in stories in the future. It will be cool if there are references, but it's also consistent if it's not mentioned at all. Just maybe slightly awkward narratively. Again, I'm looking more at the technical implementation of the writing. I also feel, like you, that the story can feel.. forced sometimes. So this is my hypothesis why. --- I do not think any character death will truly be greatly impactful to the protag, short of their own sibling. It would not make sense, as the protag mostly just spends chill time with each of the cast. There is one way though, and that is the protag being directly responsible for someone's death, or witnessing the sibling do so. I'm not sure whether La Signora should count because the protag was somewhat responsible but the killing blow was done by the Raiden Shogun. I'm thinking this because Nahida is not on the banner list for 3.1, so either the archon quest has more than 3 acts, or she won't be playable at all.

[@transient_moonlight]

​@@zackang4731 I understand your point, and I think it certainly contributes to the reason why Genshin's writing is how it is. However, I don't think it *has* to be that way. The problem can be solved by locking certain quests behind other quests, and by making certain limited time event stories replayable (without rewards, ofc). Mostly events like 1.1, 1.2, 2.3, 2.8, etc... They are key to understanding certain characters and even massive pieces of lore. Also, adding more permanent quests for central characters, to explore the consequences of their flaws, and how those consequences lead them to change, would definitely help. Genshin has so many filler patches that would be better spent adding this kind of permanent content, rather than your next random minigame event that no one asked for. Or better yet, make the archon quests extend over a full series of patches, and give us a full fledged arc for each reason (for example, rather than the archon quest occuplying only te first few patches of a version, it would extend over the whole of 1.X, 2.X, etc... and take the time to explore all the consequences of the storyline for each region, and what that means to the various character on a deeper level). TL; DR: there are tons of ways to make room for better exploration and characterization, as long as Genshin becomes more focused on pumping out stories, and less focused on random ass events. But yeah, with the current model, it's hard to see that happening. --- Oh, the traveler being responsible for a someone's death would surely impact them, and force them to reflect/change something--that's an excellent point. I think the transformation arc of the traveler will be about choosing to stand up for what they believe, and choosing their own allegiance, rather than chasing after their sibling and solving other people's problems without having any agency. I believe that because the traveler has already fulfilled ther apparent goal: they've already met their sibling, and it led nowhere. All they were left with were questions and choices to make. So, if the traveler's stakes were about family and belonging, it would make sense for them to "win" their stakes by learning to forge their own place in the world. So yeah, a moment of uncertainity leading to the death of someone they befriended would surely force the traveler to confront their major weakness--an inability to pick a side--or create their own side. However, I don't believe that a player character's death is needed for that. It could easily work with an NPC that the traveler befriended and with whom they spent a lot of time. I think Hoyo wants to keep player characters alive to maximize sales from skins, reruns, merchandise, etc... As for Nahida, the archon quest is rumored to be made up of a total of 6 quests, and Nahida is rumored to be on the 3.2 banner- That's why I honestly don't believe she'll die. Granted, it's just rumors.

[@zackang4731]

​@@transient_moonlight I think the minigames are fine. Still a large group of players want the gameplay portion of Genshin -> story and lore is not considered content to them But yes it would be nice to have more fleshed out stories. I would not say the others are random events though - The festivals and summer/winter events are generally relevant to that culture they are showing, so it gives us a chance to show us how each of these characters, with their own outlook, personality, and occupation, treat these occasions. --- Nahida is not playable, at least not yet. There is no confirmation except our own assumption that she is playable. (or maybe she already is in Sumeru Act 1&2? I'm not sure haven't finished it.) She might be playable in 3.2, but there's no confirmation of that. Her existence as an Archon compared to just an NPC - I think that have very different implications, especially for the traveler who have met 3 other archons. Yea the rumors that it's 6 quests and she'll be in 3.2.. Is probably from the assumption that Nahida banner will be in the last act of Sumeru's Archon Quest. So because she did not show up in the list for 3.1, then that means the last act of the archon quest is not in 3.1, and therefore we will have more acts -> But again this is based on the assumption that she is playable at all.

[@Radamoonwatyr]

They all have a little bit (sometimes a lot) of darkness in their stories which makes them way more three dimensional than other video games.

[@axolotdraws9946]

Don’t forget hyv is now making the npcs loveable, ex. Teppei, Zhiqiong, Rana, and, (my personal favorite) Dunyarzad. Like not even joking Dunyarzad was more likeable than Ayaka. Same ideology, better story imo Edit: was fixing the stupid autocorrect

[@veroleshtheinsane6556]

The event quests play a huge part in this for me, indeed. Especially for characters I didn't really care for when starting playing. Some like Noelle and Eula I really liked from the get go, form pure esthetics and grew to love over time as I got to know more about them in their stories from leveling their friendship. But for characters like Rosaria and Diluc that I never really liked, after the Mondstadt tavern event, seeing a completely different side of them and getting a little more insight in their more casual personalities made me appreciate and like them a lot more.

[@elderroll4017]

hi3 foundation or attachment or value. hyv characters, specially hi3, not just gi, gives you this kind of feeling of the value of a character as a character. most gachas games, you'll only like their chars because of their strength or combat power value. but hyv ones are different. some part of your brain cares for them like they have existed. like hi3's flame-chasers or even kiana. on gi, there's amber, dainsleif, even an extra teppei became popular.

[@chiyogoya3259]

Its one aspect that i appreciate bout them characters, there is always a story to tell with them and they're more or less a very chunky if not complete package in form of stories that we get to experience with them. They're weaved in with the story experience of Genshin plus expanded as well with character stories and hangouts with good designs and music to boot! and they are presented to us as well rather than just relying on character wall of texts all the time. Its one Grand marketting strategy aimed at our wallets. 🤣

[@Jrpogi98]

I agree. the company tries its best to make the characters feel "alive". normal people albeit with powers and such. they might have took inspiration from the original Spiderman comic wherein he was, at the time, the only superhero with "problems" like fitting in and such. might be a reach but good writers do stand on top the shoulders of giants and make it their own style.

[@Jay-gl1ch]

I'm a little late but thank you for making this video! This is valuable information for psychology undergraduates like me. It always feels rewarding to see how psychology is relevant in several fields such as gaming and marketing.

[@shinyyordle9233]

Taking inspiration of the real world for a fantasy one is probably the biggest double edge strategy, even more for nowadays trends, standards and customs. But there's this thing that EVERYTHING has an "inspiration of", is one of the rules of art, you cannot create something from scratch, you either take references or your brain automatically makes the references. The issue of people not realizing the line between inspiration AND representation leads to big unnecessary controversies made by misunderstandings like the Sumeru one. Teyvat having a big resemblance to our world is not a necessary mean to be a representation. The inspiration of gnosticism or commedia dell' arte aren't 100% accurate, yet no one makes a ruckus over it. Paimon is not a floating and hungry fairy and the commedia is not the story of eleven elite political figures with super powers. Look it this way, a shooter that has its own designed weapons for example Apex Legends has big resemblance and inspirations from real life weapons, yet those aren't mean to be a representation of such.

[@user-vr8qd4hk6y]

Very good comment, thank you. Actually it's very simple and commonly people always understood that. Only recently some are spreading toxic emotions and trying to make a big fuss over this representation nonsense. Let's not fall into their toxic game. I'm sooo disappointed that in the video "representation" was mentioned as an issue seriously.

[@user-ie7vo1hj3j]

Yeah you'd think people got it once they saw a chinese opera singer in lolita attire or a nun that has a career of a nation-wide idol yet here we are...

[@Bianca-io8rm]

IM SO SORRY ASTER I’ve been watching your videos for the past 10 months and I sometimes forget to like the video ToT. I promise you that your in my genshin playlist on yt

[@figloalds]

I think they did an absolute banger job at making the game intro scene with the traveller telling paimon the story of the siblings fighting the unknown god, it starts with Paimon asking, before you selected your character and then you select your character and that character continues the scene that paimon has started, it's an amazing intro and it sinks in the mind of the viewer that "This is about to be a very badass narrative experience, stay tuned because it's going to be lit", from that point on when we first meet Amber we are successfully suspended in disbelief, we've seen Venti and Dvalin, the world feels alive and so we give Amber full attention when she presents herself, and then they just keep this insanely good world-building going and we stay hooked in to their characters.

[@lileenleen]

1: 3D anime!!! Marketable characters 2: cRazily handcrafted Open World 3: Low barrier of entry: free, localizations, cross-platform

[@tinapay4095]

every character probably has their own loyal cult following regardless of their screentime and damage output

[@rexiee3170]

May I add an opinion of mine that I think makes Genshin Characters popular. I think it's because of it's accessibity and many people play it because they can download it for free and with many device options thus making their audience more broad. It also helps that it is the first open world Gacha and theyre outfits never change making characters more consistent vs other games that have outfit options. Compare the Genshin Characters with Lightning of ffxiii and 2B of nier, or Ky Kiske of gg and I will look at them more than Genshins'. But their games are locked behind paywalls and limited devices making their audience also limited.

[@nhaan4178]

Zhongli is the sole reason I started Genshin Impact. My friend is a huge Zhongli simp and she shared me his splash art and I was sold. I started Genshin on that day and never turned back. There is something about Zhongli that hooked me in. He's sexy (no revealing clothes needed), he's knowledgeable and don't even get me started on his voice. I played Genshin in CN and jesus his voice is hottt

[@juancaninja]

I love the fact that Hu Tao is one of the most loved characters in all of genshin impact and she really hasn't had a big event in which she plays a role, or being a key part of the story, just for her looks, her cute personality and fun gameplay she has become a "symbol" for genshin

[@2triedforthis830]

No cuz she’s absolutely one of my favorites and it’s sad she doesn’t have any events she’s in despite being so popular, but her job her design her little ghost her play style and her voices I just really love it and I really connected to her with her backstory and stuff, hopefully she gets an event to herself for once

[@angeecelinova7760]

I think that the cultural inspiration is gonna be done on such a good level in just the Liyue and Inazuma. It's a anime game, and the developers are gonna do well with the culture that the most familiar to them. Mondstadt is really not great that the cultural aspect, and others are probably also not gonna be amazing

[@haruyanto8085]

Rule34 artists: "What can I say except you're welcome!"

[@randomguyblank1616]

It should be noted how much time and effort it goes into making these characters, I think it was in the Herrscher of Flamescion behind the scenes where they said that each character takes around 1 year, from conceptualization to final design, to make. This is why I like Hoyoverse as a game developer, its because of their dedication to their craft. Something that I can't say about most other gacha game devs, or even most AAA game studios.

[@mellofuego4917]

I believe the short answer is: because they are rendered in an anime style. Not saying other factors don't contribute but if Genshin had an art style like Horizon Zero Dawn I doubt there would be as much fanfare surrounding the cast. Then again, at one time Eula was trending like crazy over a sneeze...

[@wheretao6960]

I have reached a point in life where Genshin is the only gacha game that I am loyal to. Mainly because the characters are so damn fun to play as and an eye candy to look at. Most other gacha games bore the hell out of me because the gameplay and interactions just doesn't hit the spot.

[@triggerfairy4070]

Character design, waifu bait, trap bait. Its always the aethetics that hook people first. Ive seldom look into character lore except for those reveal in the actual story playthrough. Similar to how Fate pumps out their Saber faces. Heck Genshin have their own saber face which is jean.

[@raggy6075]

ASTER I LOVE YOU!!!!

[@BitterLime90]

Great video

[@elizabethvein4328]

May all the beauty be blessed!

[@CosmicBlitz001]

Wave goodbye to the past where hope and faith…

[@tadicahya6439]

Probably because back then it cause controversy since its very similar with BOTW,and also their ads are everywhere

[@TheReaIestOne]

Raiden Shogun is easily recognisable even to non genshin players.😂

[@harjinism]

Zhongli too..

[@arnowisp6244]

Booba Sword goes far.

[@haruyanto8085]

Fr, she's in so much doujinshi

[@moxiemos9637]

Of course she is easily recognise outside Genshin. Honkai(3rd) and all that you know.

[@brandonpierce2539]

💀

[@sanityedwin9384]

to me characters design and their lore is their strength. Heck i like Xinyan the moment she drop. But her lore and her personality on the 2.6 event make me love her even more. It's help that genshin is not Meta focus gacha like other gacha game. Even if the characters you love isn't the best playstyle or skill wise, it still fun to use them in exploration and main quest.

[@josueravena3464]

Also the fact the some characters are revealed through voicelines that arent released and people are getting excited especially Kaveh from Collei, Tighnari and Dori voiceline. Some say its spoilers but unless its mentioned in the game so it doesnt count, some was mentioned in a sign in port ormos and sumeru city We know about him so far he is an architect who made the palace of Alcazarzaray, but he was in a massive debt after completion so he's staying with Al-Haitham as his roommate. Now he's just ranting non-stop about him...

[@halfareed67]

I think that I have seen only two games where the characters are so recognisable and different from one another based on there backstory design and personality. These two games are genshin and overwatch, which is why These two games are my favourite

[@yoiko89]

In terms of Thighs we have a lot it ~ Genshin Impact

[@mikofanboy9711]

6:40 I really dislike the idea of fictional characters that take inspiration from real life must be a representation of it That mindset is one of the reason why this fandom is so toxic, GI while taking inspiration from real life culture, DOES NOT represent that culture I understand why people want representation but not anything has to For example Liyue while taking inspiration from China, it's not represent China at all China isn't a harbor that makes money for the whole world like Liyue. Or character like Zhongli, his design while looking great, isn't represent Chinese outfits at all, his outfit design is more western than eastern (The same for Mondstadt, Inazuma and Sumeru) If you looking Genshin characters for "representation" then all you get is disappointed, hate and toxicity, so please don't

[@batteriesnotincluded4734]

For me, it is the same reason the characters from overwatch was popular from back then. The characters seem larger than life, and have iconic design. If i compare it to, let say, tower of fantasy chars, ToW chars are nowhere badly designed, but they lack depth and personality in contrast.

[@Rhyhmx]

Super unpopular opinion: The culture in game shouldn't be viewed as the cultures in real life, this isn't a historical game it's a gacha fantasy RPG with gods, super powers and talking vegetables. If people want to learn about cultures they should do it by reading books by authors who live there or visit the place themselves and not through a fantasy RPG. It's not like every culture in the "West" is represented equally or just look at SEA representation, basically none. Globally hardly anyone knows about SEA cultures yet not one of the "I fixed the character" players cry about that because it doesn't involve what these people think of as "people of color"...

[@yqisq6966]

What fascinates me is that, compared to a single player game with a more focus cast, the amount of questing time you get with each character in Genshin is rather short. Yet every character in this game is more loved than main characters from most single player games. I think the "doujin" culture from the anime fandom is a huge factor and there are so many secondary content creation from the fanbase. It's like Touhou Project meets 3A developer.

[@Mardalozette]

Its bcz i love them

[@nizarahmad3912]

Lets compare genshin design to other mobile game this is purely my opinion. -Compare to many korean mobile games(mmo/rpg) , they tend to overdesign their character with flashy armor and ornaments, which i dont really like. And their graphic almost always kinda dry and grey -Compare to other mobile JRPG games. Like arknight, blue archive, seven knights, and many more. Eventhough they have pretty good character design, they are mostly just using chibi model for their gameplay. And we only can appreciate their full body character design with just splash art or L2D. -western mmo/rpg games doesn't really have charming colorfull graphic since its not their focus. They're focussing more on gameplay aspect and customization. -They are also too many rpg games with futuristic aesthetic or with the generic medieval kingdom aesthetic Geshin excellent choice to design not only make them eye catching and colorful but also maintain cleanliness to not overdesign. The characters are also fully 3d. And genshin character design approach more traditional looks with magical fantasy touch, its kinda fresh imo.

[@zukodude487987]

hot, nuff said.

[@fina_Soma]

I Finnaly got collei to c3 and level 90 I just need to do their talents now and get better artifacts

[@derpman2033]

I really want to know how the mail box system works in genshin lore like do vision holders have personal magic mail boxes we receive things like invites and birthday wishes is it canon or just game mechanic?

[@the8flo1]

They transport letters via pigeons and other birds... not sure how reliable that is.

[@derpman2033]

@@the8flo1 hmm i dont know how do they send the food tho like when diluc sent apples or mona sent salad bigger birds i doesn't feel right ._.

[@blee04524]

Aster 🥺

[@troddenleper8915]

Now if they could release a Qiqi quest... And Baizhu my snake king!!!

[@ilikebotato7197]

qiqi is the most famous cus of the people complaining about her

[@arnowisp6244]

Yeah. Of all the Standard 5 stars, she's the Most Useless. The others can work or even have Meta teams like Jean and Mona. Diluc still works especially since Crimson witch is made to work fully with Him. Keqing, well she can at least hurt. And now with Dendro she got a Damage boost Qiqi? She's a dead roll.

[@fyodorwashere]

Another piece of media that had characters loved by millions of people was Homestuck and many of the points you made in your video apply to it as well. Homestuck, just like Genshin, has a LOT of characters and yet each of them is incredibly fleshed out. By reading tons of pesterlogs you get to know these characters so deeply that you can't help but become connected to them. The relationships between characters are also very intricate and realistic and none of the characters appears two dimensional or like a caricature. Although Homestuck has many fantasy elements, the line between fantasy and reality is blurred by how complex and HUMAN the characters are. They act in different ways with different people, they have many good traits but many flaws as well. And not to mention the feel good effect when you see how much the characters have grown by the end of the story. Although many people were disappointed by Act 7, they still felt so proud of the kids and the trolls for defeating Lord English and making it to Earth C. The points you mentioned really make the recipe for lovable characters and it's truly impressive how much care Mihoyo puts into expanding the lore of each character in the game.

[@nyx_018]

16 seconds ago Hi aster!!!!!!!

[@mrtan5641]

I been playing this game a month really. And so far the characters in this game are pretty memorable and also compare to a lot of Chinese F2p games. The design of each character is basically hot waifu and husbando simulator but each character is memorable and also people know who they are. At first I don't know anyone but after a while I know who is who and also the likes and dislikes. And when i compare to later gacha games with hot anime and waifus. I barely remember any of them. Plus also helps that this game's character quest actually flesh em out extensively

[@chrisgarbutt1893]

*I've been wanting a video like this for a long time!* Genshin in my opinion has the best character designs and personality I've ever seen. It makes you feel immerse in their world and you create a personal connection with every single one. The simple reason is they're not afraid to take risks! Unlike other anime/games in the industry Genshin focus on cultural character background and individualism of the character first rather than be an secondary after thought with cliché tropes or a check list. They are not afraid to promote even side characters with their own KZbin videos, story quests, and voice lines that reflect themselves, the world, and the traveler. Currently in the anime/game industry you see the simplification of character design especially when it comes to male design characters. That's why you see every anime male protagonist with black hair and a high school inspired uniform with the same dull personalities. Or have a ocean of generic female character designs that look the same such as with A1 pictures studio or every light/visual novel. It's all about fast tracking and besides Fire Emblem you will almost never find character designs like Zhongli, Kazuha, Tighnari and Heizou or have personalities like Hu Tao in the industry. "The Feel Good Effect" is a major factor on a individual personal level. A character I first didn't like was Heizou, but once I pay attention to him by first looking at fanart and later playing his quest he quickly became one of my favorites. These are the reasons why Genshin will always remain dominant in my opinion.

[@gmalamat1393]

Coooooome oooooon, we all know we fell in love with albedo due to khoi dao

[@haruyanto8085]

Who?

[@kino9791]

@@haruyanto8085 albedo's EN dub voice actor

[@gmalamat1393]

@@haruyanto8085 tao, yes

[@kinja9816]

I mean zhongli was the reason why I started playing genshin

[@JAMllostthegame]

Me: this character is voiced by X? I'm all in!

[@jmd0605]

'Aesthetically' hmmmmmm Me after 2 days of the tl being filled with erumite and fatui simps and trashing the playables like: 👀👀👀👀

[@yqisq6966]

My initial reaction to the question: 1. They are anime characters so the typical anime fandom rules apply. 2. Their 3D models are as hot as their 2D arts, a feat very few games/anime shows can manage. 3. Sunk cost fallacy.

[@juliemitchell6561]

Absolutely! You are right! Because of the backstories even the villains can gender sympathy! Look at La Señora! Also the characters carry secrets effecting their lives and the friends and relatives around them. Enjoy your vlogs!

[@hylianbatman3153]

I mean, they all fall under that category of either hot, funny, cute, or clever. They have these traits in spades. Makes them irresistible...like Aster :)

[@thisnewnamingstuffsuck]

I would say because they feel alive? If that make any sense.

[@kasuha]

I think the main reason is that Hoyo does many different things about their characters, each of them attractive to different group of people. Characters have interesting designs, fluid animations, life story, relations, opinions on things, usually get "battleworthiness" boost when introduced, they provide certain amount of primogems and pulls when cared about etc etc. In the end it does not matter why every individual player likes their characters, it's the fact that there are multiple factors players can "catch on" and everybody picks the part they're interested in. Also, things are presented in a way that it's easy to ignore parts of these presentations that the player is not interested in.

[@ChimeraLotietheBunny]

I LOVE HOW THEY TREAT GENSHIN CAST , UPS AND DOWNS..GOSH EVEN THE DEVELOPERS OF GENSHIN REALLY EVEN COMPLIMENT BEFORE ANF AFTER MC is included!!!!

[@lovepantalone_kaeya]

All Genshin characters are so unique and their personalities are so loveable, I don't think I've ever hated a character before lol, just was "meh" about a few.

[@sshk1653]

Even the npcs

[@exosus.]

Man, it feels good to be early for once. Time to feel called out.

[@KiroPerida]

I like your voice